Review: Traveler's Guide to Firearm Laws

Reading through the American Rifleman one might see an ad for J. Scott Kappas, Esq's book "Traveler's Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States". (2006) Kappas, a Kentucky Attorney and Class III firearms dealer has written a pamplet, explaining state firearms laws for the traveler in a clear and concise manner. In 66 pages he does the following.

1) provide an introduction on how to use the guide.
2) provide a page concerning the gun laws in each state and the District of Columbia.
3) Provide a list of which states recognize other states' firearms permits.

The reason Kappas is able to keep his entry on each state to a page is that he only discusses firearms laws as it relates to a traveler visiting the state. That allows him to hit the most important points without becoming bogged down in less important details. For example here is his entry for California.

Vehicle carry and transportation: handguns must be unloaded and secured in the truck or vehicle storage compartment or locked in a gun case; rifles and shotguns must be unloaded and should be secured in cases.

The populous state of California is fast becoming a nightmare for travelers carrying firearms. The state requires a California issued license to carry a handgun concealed on your person or loaded and concealed in a vehicle. California does not issue permits to nonresidents and will not recognize out-of-state licenses. Vehicle transport of a handgun for any traveler without a California license is limited to an unloaded handgun locked in the trunk or vehicle storage compartment. An unloaded handgun may also be transported in the passenger compartment if it is secured in a locked gun case. Handguns may not be located in the glove compartment, console box or under the seat. Rifles and shotguns must be unloaded and should be cased. But such weapons need not be in locked containers.

Open carry of loaded firearms is not allowed in public areas where the discharge of a weapon is prohibited. This restriction includes most incorporated portions of California. But handguns carried openly in belt holsters in rural areas of the state are legal. Rifles and shotguns may also be carried openly for legitimate sporting purposes in these areas. The law that prohibits the carry of loaded firearms in public areas exempts such carry at a campsite or temporary residence. A recreational vehicle owner may possess loaded firearms within his campsite. But when on the road, his RV is subject to the same carry laws as any other vehicle.

California's preemption law, which prohibits localities from regulating most aspects of firearms licensing and registrationm did not prevent San Francisco from recently banning the possession of all handguns within the city. This move along with California's prohibitions on the importation of all semi-automatic assault weapons, .50 caliber center fire rifles and over 10 shot magazines, illustrates the cumulative results of decades of state-sanctioned gun control." (p. 13)

Kappas also mentions the McClure-Volkmer act of 1986 which amended the gun control act of 1968 to permit the transport of firearms through states that would "otherwise view such transport as illegal" if "the weapons are unloaded, cased and stowed in the trunk or vehicle storage compartment which is not readily accessable to the occupants." Ammunition must be kept separate from the firearms. (p. 4) He also notes that the police in the District of Columbia believe that this exemption ends if you as much as stop in their district while passing through it, so be very careful while driving through this location, or better yet simply detour around the district if you are transporting firearms in your car.

My only criticism of this text is that it does not reprint the actual language of McClure-Volkmer. Otherwise it is quite worth its $12.95 price. Finally this text is updated each year and sold in the NRA's own headquarters store which serves as an implicit endorsement of its quality independant of my own conclusions. This is a must buy book for the serious firearms enthusiast or anyone planning on transporting a firearm across a state line.

I'm getting ready to visit friends and family in California early in September, so this is particularly relevant. I really had no idea the laws were so strict there. I always fly into southern Oregon when I visit, so issues of California firearms laws have never come up regarding the guns I take with me. This year, I was going to take my new AR for some shooting fun on my friend's farm. Guess I should rethink that.

Worse than jerks. If your rolling through CA with an AR that has the qualities listed as making it an "assault weapon" then you could be in for some serious "fun". Best to leave that bad boy at home. KKKalifornia is not the place to be if your into guns unfortunately. It is one of the only reasons I would consider leaving the state for. Well, that and traffic. MAybe the price of real estate as well. Hmmm... why the hell do I live here again?

:XXsunsmil

Good looking book btw. Thanks for the heads up.

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:icon_twis .
To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence;
Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without spilling your Guinness.Sun "Fu Man JhooJits" Tzu, the Art of War & Guinness

Oh well, we'll have loads of fun with my .454 and my .357. Unless California re-labels wheelguns as "assault weapons." What a bunch of douchebags.

Anybody hear anything about Barrett's response to California's change in law over the .50 caliber center fire. The word is they stopped selling directly to law enforcement in California entirely. Which is to say law enforcement can still buy their weapons, but they have to purchase them like a civilian would. If it's true, then good for Barrett.

Barrett has really stepped up. They've also developed a new caliber that is smaller-diameter than a .50 (I want to say .416 Barrett) but actually shoots quite a bit flatter and hits pretty hard.
If states like Illinois and California ban the .50 calibers specifically, they'll have to try to ban the .416 with it. That should make all the hunters think of .416 Rigby and other big-game calibers, and once the hunters are getting their oxen gored, we'll see how dedicated those politicians really are to gun control.

Or they'll ban .50 for the publicity and ignore the .416's and such, and that's still better than nothing.

Or they'll ban .50 for the publicity and ignore the .416's and such, and that's still better than nothing.

The .50 ban is pure publicity anyway. The use of a .50 as a criminal weapon is so impractical I can't begin to describe it... but I'm preaching to the choir here. I doubt I would get a .50 myself due to the massive expense of this weapon, but it still pisses me off that I couldn't if I wanted to.

The .50 ban is pure publicity anyway. The use of a .50 as a criminal weapon is so impractical I can't begin to describe it... but I'm preaching to the choir here. I doubt I would get a .50 myself due to the massive expense of this weapon, but it still pisses me off that I couldn't if I wanted to.

My buddy bought one a month before the ban, payed an outrageous pre-ban price and hasn't used it yet because he can't afford the scope and the rounds.

Whaaaa....?

:confused2

:wbossman Wasss dat? A fity? Thas fo' criminals!

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:icon_twis .
To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence;
Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without spilling your Guinness.Sun "Fu Man JhooJits" Tzu, the Art of War & Guinness